Poland, invaded Prussia with an immense army, and destroyed the greater
part which lay on the sea-shores. The Prussians made a thousand of them
prisoners, and slew many.
The king of Poland was formerly an infidel, and son to the king of
Lithuania, but, having a great ambition to reign, murdered his father,
and was for this crime banished the country. He took refuge with the
then king of Poland, who received him kindly, and admitted him into his
friendship and confidence. He also gained the affections of the princes
and nobles, insomuch that, on the death of their king, they unanimously
elected this parricide to succeed him, had him baptised, and married
him to the widow of the late king; and, since that time, he has happily
enough governed that kingdom[53].
At this period, Sigismond king of Hungary, brother to the king of
Bohemia, took to wife the sister of the above queen of Poland: they
were daughters to a german count, called the count de Cilly, of the
royal branch of Hungary[54]. The king of Poland laid claim to Hungary
in right of his wife, and thence took occasion to harrass that country
as well as Prussia. He sent secret messengers to the king of Lithuania,
his cousin german and ally, to press him to invade Prussia on the
quarter nearest the sea, when he would march his Polanders to form a
junction and destroy the whole of it. His intentions were discovered
by the messenger being arrested by orders of the king of Hungary, and
information sent of them to Prussia, whenceforward the king of Hungary
and grand master took such wise precautions that his future attempts
were fruitless.
[A. D. 1410.]
CHAP. XVII.
THE DUKE OF BERRY, BY THE KING’S COMMANDS, RETURNS TO
PARIS.--THE MARRIAGE OF THE SON OF THE KING OF SICILY.--THE
ASSEMBLY THAT IS HOLDEN AT MEUN LE CHASTEL.
This year, the duke of Berry was, by the king’s orders, remanded to
Paris, and, on his arrival, was sent, with the king of Navarre, to
Giens sur Loire, to put an end to the quarrels between the duke of
Brittany and the count and countess of Penthievre. Although both
parties had promised to meet them, they did not personally attend, but
sent commissioners.
The king of Navarre and the duke of Berry took great pains, and
proposed various means, to bring about a reconciliation. Finding all
their attempts fruitless, they referred the whole matter, with the
consent of the commissioners, to the king’s decision on All-saints-day
next coming, and then they returned to Paris.
In this year was concluded the marriage between the eldest son of Louis
king of Sicily, and Catherine, daughter to the duke of Burgundy. The
lady was conducted by sir John de Châlons, lord de Darlay, the lord de
St George, sir William de Champdivers, and sir James de Courtjambe, to
Angers, and there delivered to the queen of Sicily, who received her
most affectionately and honourably,--and she magnificently entertained
the knights who had brought her. After a short stay at Angers, they
returned to their lord, the duke of Burgundy, at Paris.
At this time, the dukes of Orleans and Bourbon, the counts de Clermont,
d’Alençon, d’Armagnac, the lord Charles d’Albreth, constable, and many
other lords of great power and authority, held a meeting in the town
of Meun le Châtel,--where they had several long consultations with
each other on the state of public affairs, and particularly as to the
murder of the late duke of Orleans, principally to consider how they
should proceed to take vengeance on the person who had committed it.
Many different opinions were urged: one was, that the duke of Orleans
should declare a deadly war against him, and carry it on by every
possible means, with the assistance of his relations, friends, and the
wellwishers to his cause.
Others said, it would be better to follow another course, and
remonstrate strongly to the king, their sovereign lord, on the
necessity he was under to do strict justice on the duke of Burgundy,
to which he was the more particularly bound, as the murder was
committed on his own brother. But, as they could not all agree in the
same opinion, they broke up the meeting, and appointed another day to
assemble again.
Before they separated, a treaty of marriage was entered upon between
Charles duke of Orleans and the daughter of the count d’Armagnac. She
was niece to the duke of Berry by her mother’s side, and sister[55]
to the count de Savoye. This done, the lords departed for their own
domains.
The duke of Burgundy resided in Paris, and ruled there more
despotically than any other of the princes: affairs were solely carried
on by him and his partisans, which, no doubt, made very many jealous of
him.
CHAP. XVIII.
THE KING OF SICILY GOES TO PROVENCE AND TO BOLOGNA, TO MEET HIS
RIVAL KING LADISLAUS.--THE DEATH OF POPE ALEXANDER, AND THE
ELECTION OF POPE JOHN.
About this period, Louis king of Sicily set out from Paris with a
numerous body of men at arms, and went for Provence, and thence to
Bologna, to meet king Ladislaus, his opponent, and to defend his
kingdom of Naples, where his rival was committing great devastation.
King Louis had for this raised so considerable a force, that he might
be enabled to offer him combat; and he had also the hope that pope
Alexander would assist him, to the utmost of his ability, in money and
in men.
An end was soon put to his expectations in this respect; for, on the
morrow of the feast of the discovery of the holy cross, pope Alexander
was poisoned in the town of Bologna, as was currently reported, and
died most pitifully. His bowels were interred, and his obsequies were
performed in the church of the Cordeliers. Mass was celebrated by the
cardinal de Vimers: the deacon and under deacon were the cardinals
d’Espaigne and de Thurey. The whole court was dressed in deep mourning.
The 6th of May, the corpse of the pope, having been embalmed with fine
spices, was placed in the hall of audience, dressed in his papal robes,
his face uncovered, gloves on his hands, but his feet naked, so that
whoever pleased might kiss them,--and nine funeral services were there
performed.
There were present twenty cardinals, two patriarchs, four archbishops,
twenty-four bishops, with many prelates, abbots, and other churchmen.
His escutcheon of arms were placed at the four corners of his coffin;
and for nine days, masses were celebrated in the same manner as on the
morrow of his death. The masses were said by the cardinals in rotation;
and the ninth day, the body was carried to the Cordeliers for interment.
The two first bearers were the cardinals de Vimers and de Challant,
and the two last the cardinals d’Espaigne and de Thurey. The cardinal
Milles preceded the body bearing a cross. The chorists were the
cardinals de Bar, (not the son of the duke of Bar, but the cardinal of
Bar[56] in Calabria), and d’Orsini. The cardinal de Vimers performed
the service, as he had done at the interment of the bowels.
When this ceremony was over, the cardinals returned home dressed in
black; and after dinner, they assembled at the palace, and entered
into conclave, where they remained shut up from the Wednesday to the
Saturday following. Some of the cardinals, having consulted together,
proposed Balthazar, cardinal of Bologna, as sovereign pontiff of
the universal church; and the others, who were not of this opinion,
seeing their numbers were very small, consented to it; and the new
pope was conducted by them to the church of St Peter, where they placed
the tiara on his head, and took the oaths of fidelity to him. They
then led him to the palace of his predecessor, where every piece of
furniture had been carried off, and there did not remain even a door or
window-frame.
On the morrow, he took the name of pope John XXIII. and great were the
rejoicings and feasts that ensued. In the procession were twenty-three
cardinals, two patriarchs, three archbishops, twenty-seven abbots,
mitred and non-mitred, without reckoning other churchmen, who were
almost numberless. The pope wore on that day a silver-gilt tiara bound
with white. The following Saturday, the 23d of May, the pope received,
in the chapel of his predecessors, the holy order of priesthood, when
the cardinal de Vimers said the mass, and the cardinal de Challant was
deacon: at this service, all the before-named prelates attended.
On the following day, Sunday, the pope celebrated mass in the church
of St Peter, having the cardinal de Vimers near him to show him the
service. The marquis of Ferrara and the lord of Malatesta were present,
and held the bason wherein the pope washed his hands. The marquis of
Ferrara had brought with him fifty-four knights, all clothed in scarlet
and blue, having five trumpets and four companies of minstrels, each
playing on a different instrument.
When mass was finished, pope John was carried out of the church to a
very handsome platform erected without the porch, and there solemnly
crowned in the presence of all those whom I have mentioned, and a great
multitude of doctors and clergy.
When seated on his throne, which was covered all over with cloth of
gold, he was surrounded by the cardinals de Vimers, de Challant, de
Milles, d’Espaigne, de Thurey, and de Bar, having tufts of tow in their
hands. The cardinals lighted their tufts; and as the flame was suddenly
extinguished, they addressed the pope, saying, ‘Thus, holy father,
passes the glory of this world!’ This was done three times.
The cardinal de Vimers having said some prayers over him and on the
crown, placed it upon his head. This crown was a triple one: the first
of gold, which encircled the forehead within the mitre; the second
of gold and silver, about the middle of the mitre; and the third, of
very fine gold, surmounted it. He was then led down from the platform,
and placed on a horse covered over with scarlet furniture. The horses
of the cardinals and bishops, &c. were caparisoned in white; and in
this state he was conducted from street to street, making every where
the sign of the cross, until he came to where the Jews resided, who
presented him with a manuscript of the Old Testament. He took it with
his own hand, and, having examined it a little, threw it behind him,
saying, ‘Your religion is good, but this of ours is better.’
As he departed, the Jews followed him, intending to touch him,--in the
attempt of which, the caparison of his horse was all torn.--Wherever
he passed, the pope distributed money,--that is to say, quadrini and
mailles of Florence, with other coins. There were before and behind him
two hundred men at arms, each having in his hand a leathern mallet,
with which they struck the Jews in such wise as it was a pleasure to
see.
On the morrow, he returned to his palace, accompanied by the cardinals
dressed in crimson,--the patriarchs in like manner,--the archbishops
and bishops in similar dresses, having white mitres on their heads,
and numbers of mitred and non-mitred abbots. In this procession were,
the marquis of Ferrara[57], the lord Malatesta[58], the lord of
Gaucourt[59], and others, to the amount of forty-four, as well dukes as
counts and knights of Italy, all dressed out in their liveries. In each
street, two and two by turns led the pope’s horse by the bridle,--the
one on the right hand, and another on the left.
There were thirty-six bagpipes and trumpets, and ten bands of minstrels
playing on musical instruments, each band consisting of three
performers. There were also singers, especially those of the chapel of
his predecessor, as well as those belonging to the cardinals and from
different parts of Italy, who rode before the pope loudly chaunting
various airs, sacred and profane.
When he arrived at the palace, he gave his peace to all the cardinals,
who, according to their rank in the college, kissed his foot, hand, or
mouth. The cardinal de Vimers first performed the ceremony, and was
followed by the other cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops,
abbots and clergy. He then gave his benediction to the four elements,
and to all persons in a state of grace, as well to those absent as
present, and bestowed his dispensations for four months to come,
provided that, during this time, three Pater-nosters should be said by
each in praying for his predecessor, pope Alexander.
Pope John then went to dinner, as it was now about twelve o’clock, and
this ceremony had commenced between five and six in the morning.
In honour of him, feasts were continued at Bologna for the space
of eight days; and on each of them very handsome processions were
made round St Peter’s church, when the prelates were all dressed
in vermilion robes, with copes of the same. In like manner did the
Carthusians of St Michael’s Mount, without the walls of Bologna.
The next day, the 25th of May, pope John held a consistory, in the
presence of the cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, and
presented to the marquis of Ferrara and the italian heralds, many and
various rich gifts. This was followed by a great feast, with dancing
and music. The ensuing day, the pope revoked all that his predecessor
had done, excepting what he had confirmed, or what had been taken
corporal or spiritual possession of.
King Louis of Sicily arrived at Bologna the Friday after the coronation
of the pope, and twenty-two cardinals, two patriarchs, six archbishops,
twenty bishops and eighteen abbots, handsomely equipped, went out of
the city to meet him: on his entrance, he went directly to the pope. He
was clothed in scarlet, and his horse’s furniture was ornamented with
small gilt bells: he was attended by about fifty knights dressed in his
uniform. It was the last day of May that the king arrived,--and he was
most graciously received by the pope.
The ensuing day, the Florentines came to pay their duty and reverence
to the holy father. They were about three hundred horse, among whom
were eighteen knights dressed in scarlet, with feathers bespangled
with gold. They were attended by six trumpets, two heralds, and ten
musicians playing on different instruments. When they had made their
reverence to the pope, they returned to their hôtels, and the next
day went to court. By reason of their alliance with king Louis, they
supplicated the pope to give him assistance against his adversary king
Ladislaus, adding, that they intended affording him every aid in their
power of men and money. These Florentines were very indignant at the
late conduct of the Genoese in regard to the king of Sicily; for when
the king of Sicily was sailing with five gallies from Marseilles,
near to the port of Genoa, the Genoese, being in the interest of king
Ladislaus, hastily armed fifteen gallies with cross-bows and men at
arms, and sent them to attack the remainder of king Louis’s fleet that
was following him, which they conquered, all but one, that escaped
back to Marseilles by superior sailing, and carried the crews and all
their baggage prisoners to Genoa.
The pope, having heard their request, asked some time to consider of
it before he gave an answer. He could not well consent to it, because
the Genoese had been long connected with him, and he had also entered
into some engagements with king Ladislaus. The matter was, therefore,
deferred. King Louis was, notwithstanding this, magnificently feasted
by the pope and cardinals; after which, he left his court well pleased,
and returned to Provence.
On the first day of June, the pope held an open court, and signed many
graces and benefices, and all such things as with honour and justice he
could sign. He continued from that time to hold public audiences, and
to do whatever business appertained to the papacy.
CHAP. XIX.
THE GRAND MASTER OF PRUSSIA MARCHES A POWERFUL ARMY OF
CHRISTIANS INTO LITHUANIA.
This year, 1410, the grand master of the Teutonic order, accompanied
by his brother knights and a numerous army of three hundred thousand
Christians, invaded the kingdom of Lithuania, to destroy the whole of
it. The king of Lithuania was soon ready to meet him; and, aided by
the king of Sarmatia, he assembled an army of four hundred thousand
infidels, and offered battle.
The Christians gained a complete victory,--for there remained dead on
the field full thirty-six thousand infidels, the principals of whom
were the grand general of Lithuania and the constable of Sarmatia. The
remnant, with the other officers, escaped by flight. Of the Christians,
only two hundred were slain, but a great many were wounded.
Shortly after, the king of Poland, who was a determined enemy to
the grand master of Prussia, (and who had but faintly accepted of
Christianity in order to obtain his kingdom) marched his Polanders to
the assistance of the infidels, whom he strongly pressed to renew the
war against Prussia, insomuch that, eight days after this defeat, the
king of Poland, in conjunction with the aforesaid two kings, assembled
an army of six hundred thousand men, and marched against the grand
master of Prussia, and other Christian lords. A battle ensued, which
was lost by the Christians, who had more than sixty thousand killed
and wounded. In the number of dead were the grand master of Prussia,
with a noble knight from Normandy, called sir John de Ferriere, son to
the lord de Ferriere, and another from Picardy, son to the lord du Bos
d’Ancquin.
It was currently reported that the day had been lost through the fault
of the constable of Hungary, who commanded the second squadron of the
Christians, by running away with all his Hungarians. The infidels,
however, did not gain the glory without loss,--for without counting
the Polanders, who had ten thousand men slain, they lost upward of
six-score thousand men, according to the reports of the heralds, and
the bastard of Scotland, called the count de Hembe[60].
The lord de Kyeuraing and John de Grez, Hainaulters, were there, and
with them full twenty-four gentlemen, their countrymen, who were unhurt
at this battle, and returned home as speedily as they could.
After the engagement, the infidels entered Prussia, and despoiled
many parts of it, and took twelve inclosed towns in a short time and
destroyed them. They would have persevered in their wickedness, and
have done further mischief, had not a valiant knight of the Teutonic
order, named Charles de Mouroufle[61], rallied a great number of the
Christians who had fled, and by his prudence and vigour regained the
greater part of these towns, and finally driven the infidels out of the
country[62].
CHAP. XX.
THE DUKE OF BERRY QUITS PARIS, AND RETIRES TO HIS OWN
ESTATES.--HE GOES AFTERWARD TO ANGERS, AND UNITES WITH THE DUKE
OF ORLEANS AND THE OTHER PRINCES OF HIS PARTY.
The duke of Berry, finding that he had not that government of the
king and the duke of Acquitaine to which he had been accustomed,
became very discontented, and retired to his estates, indignant at
the ministers, and particularly at his nephew and godson, the duke
of Burgundy. Shortly after, he went to Angers, where the dukes of
Orleans and of Bourbon, and all the principal lords of that party, were
assembled.
They went in a body to the cathedral church, and there made oath, in
the most solemn manner, to support each other, and mutually to defend
their honour against all who should attempt any thing against it,
excepting the king, and ever to remain in strict friendship united,
without acting to the contrary in any kind of measure.
Many great lords in France were not pleased with this confederation;
and when, shortly after, news of it was brought to the king and his
council, he was much astonished and dissatisfied therewith.
The king, in consequence of the advice of the duke of Burgundy and his
friends, marched out of Paris, accompanied by him, the duke of Brabant,
the count de Montagu, and a large body of chivalry, and went to Senlis:
thence to the town of Creil, to regain the castle of that place, which
the duke of Bourbon held, and had given the government of it to some of
his people.
The governor made so many delays before he surrendered it that the
king became much displeased; and because they had not obeyed his
first summons, the garrison were made prisoners, and carried bound
to the prisons of the Châtelet in Paris. The countess of Clermont,
cousin-german to the king, soon after made application for their
deliverance, and obtained it; and on the morrow the king appointed
another garrison, and returned to Paris.
This expedition was not very agreeable to the Orleans-faction,--and
they continued to collect daily, and inlist in their party as many as
they could.
The duke of Burgundy became very uneasy at their proceedings; for he
suspected the duke of Orleans and his party would infringe the peace
which had so lately been patched up between them at Chartres, or that
they would march a large force to Paris, to seize the government,
together with the persons of the king and duke of Acquitaine.
To obviate this, he caused several royal summons to be proclaimed in
various parts of the realm, for the assembling of men at arms and
quartering them in the villages round Paris, to be ready to defend the
king and his government against the ill-intentioned. By the advice of
his brothers and the king of Navarre, he resolved to defend himself
by force against his adversaries, and caused it to be proclaimed
throughout the kingdom, in the king’s name, that no one should dare to
assemble armed in company of the dukes of Berry and Orleans, and their
allies, under pain of corporal punishment and confiscation of goods.
The Orleans-faction, however, continued their meetings in spite of
this proclamation, and even forced their vassals to serve under and
accompany them: I mean, such of them as were dilatory in obeying their
summons. There were, therefore, at this time, great and frequent
assemblies of armed men in different parts of France, to the prejudice
of the poor people.
Those lords that were well inclined to the king came to Paris, and
their men were quartered in the flat country of the island of France.
The Orleans-party fixed their quarters at Chartres and the adjacent
parts; and their forces might amount, according to the estimate of
well-informed persons, to full six thousand men in armour, four
thousand cross-bows, and sixteen hundred archers, without counting the
unarmed infantry, of which there were great numbers.
In regard to the army which the duke of Burgundy had assembled by
orders from the king, it was estimated to consist of upward of sixteen
thousand combatants, all men of tried courage. During this time, the
king of Navarre and his brother, the count de Mortain, at the request
of the duke of Burgundy, negotiated a peace between the duke of
Brittany, their nephew, and the count de Penthievre, son-in-law to the
duke of Burgundy.
This was done in the hope that the duke of Brittany would be induced
to assist the king with his Bretons, and give up the Orleans-party, to
whom he had engaged himself. On the conclusion of this peace between
the two parties, twenty thousand golden crowns were sent the duke, to
defray the expenses he had been at in raising men at arms.
Large sums of money were also sent to the lord d’Albreth, constable
of France, that he might collect a numerous body of men at arms, and
march them to Paris, to serve the king. He had not any great desire to
perform this, for he was wholly inclined to the duke of Orleans and his
allies, as was perfectly notorious shortly afterward.
CHAP. XXI.
THE DEATH OF THE DUKE OF BOURBON.--THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KING
OF FRANCE.--THE DUKE OF ORLEANS AND HIS ALLIES SEND LETTERS TO
THE PRINCIPAL TOWNS IN FRANCE.
During this troublesome time, Louis duke of Bourbon, uncle to the
king of France by the mother’s side, being full sixty years of age,
feeling himself oppressed with years and sickness, caused himself to be
conveyed to his residence at Moulins[63] in the Bourbonnois, where he
departed this life, and was buried in the church of the canons, which
he had founded.